Emerson J. McAlister (he/they) is a Chicago-based transgender actor, born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana.
He received a BFA in Vocal Performance from Carnegie Mellon University, studying with Maria Spacagna, and an MM in Vocal Performance from San Francisco Conservatory of Music, studying with Susanne Mentzer. Pre-transition, he performed operatic soprano roles like, Contessa Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro, Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus, and Governess in The Turn of the Screw across the US, Germany, and Austria. During this time, he attended Young Artist programs at Savannah Voice Festival, Utah Vocal Arts Academy, Vienna Summer Music Festival, and Aspen Music Festival. Emerson was also a San Francisco District Winner of The Metropolitan Opera’s Laffont Competition. He then advanced to Western Regionals, receiving the Special Encouragement Prize.
During his transition, Emerson pivoted his career to acting and musical theater. His first post-transition theatrical role was Utterson in Jekyll and Hyde at Davis Musical Theater Company. While finishing his time in Northern California, he portrayed Igor in Young Frankenstein, Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Rooster in Annie, Motel in Fiddler on the Roof, Leo Irving in In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play), and Barfée in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
After his recent move to Chicago, he performed as Jeff in [title of show] at Oakton Black Box and The Cowardly Lion/Zeke in The Wizard of Oz. This summer, he was a Resident Artist at Scranton Shakespeare Festival, performing as King of France in Henry V, First Priest u/s Pontius Pilate in Jesus Christ Superstar, and Ensemble u/s Billy Bigelow in Carousel.
Emerson currently studies with acting coaches, Calvin Leon Smith and Mallory Portnoy from Under Imaginary Circumstances, while studying voice with Kelli Morgan McHugh from Northwestern University.
He is proudly trans, neurodivergent, disabled, and Jewish, identities that he adores representing in theater. An animal lover, Emerson is a dog dad to 10 year old mutt, Figaro.
Outside of theater, he’s an avid junk journaler and collector of stationery and can be found in cafes, sorting through stickers and pens.
Also, a fragrance collector, Emerson would be happy to infodump at you about perfumes and colognes.
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